Upside Down
by Jaiaelle
Summary: Zoey's world is turned upside down at the start of her sophomore year. She finds herself torn between two boys, eventually having to choose who she wants. Z/C, Z/L.
1. A Hard Decision

**Author's Note: To all my fellow Q/L shippers - do not despair! I have not abandoned that couple that we love so much! I am writing this because I made a deal with someone I came across on youtube. She made an amazing video named "All About Us" that deals with this particular love triangle. I'm writing this story for her while she is making a video for me. This story is dedicated to her, to StoriesThatNeverWere.**

**AND italics signify past events. Read and review please!**

_Chapter One: A Hard Decision_

"How is it even a hard decision?"

The question bounced around in Zoey's sometimes blonde head, Lola's thought reverberating against the inside of her skull.

She knew what her friends were thinking, both Quinn and Lola, at they sat there, on the floor of the dorm room they all shared, waiting for her to answer.

And she wasn't quite sure that she could.

Things had spiraled out of control, which had never been her intention. But they had.

The question was out there now and Zoey knew that answering it wouldn't be as easy as they thought it should be.

The eternal question that a handful of girls throughout the centuries had been presented with: the sensitve guy best friend or the bad boy who had broken his share of hearts?

Zoey sucked in a deep breath. For her that amounted to Chase…or Logan?

- - - - - -

_It had all started because of Rebecca. _

_Rebecca Browning, the girl that Zoey had found with her mouth pressed against Chase's when she walked into his dorm room after a long summer apart. The sight had made her feel ill, dizzy, confused. Of course, she had pretended she was fine, shrugging it off, as if she thought about Chase as only her friend._

_Which she didn't. The realization had dawned on her as she relived the kiss in her mind for the thousandth time hours later. _

_She, Zoey Brooks, was in love with her best friend, Chase Matthews._

_Head in hands, she had sat, alone on a bench, wishing she knew what to do._

"_What's up Brooks?" a familiar voice had intoned from in front of her. _

_Growling, because he was the last person she felt like putting up with at that moment, she jerked her head up. "Nothing Logan. Get lost."_

"_Ooooh, touchy," he responded, taking a seat next to her on the bench, setting his back pack at his feet. "Want to talk about it?"_

_The teasing tone in his voice had only further aggravated her. "No, Logan, I do not. It's _none_ of your business."_

_For a moment, she believed that he might actually comply with her first request and leave, but instead, he leaned back, relaxing against the bench. One arm stretched out, his fingers almost touching her arm. "So it has to do with a guy. But what guy could cause Zoey Brooks to be such a -"_

"_I mean it Logan," she yelled, turning her upper body to face him. "Get out of here or I'll…I'll…"_

"_You'll what?" he sneered, eyes challenging her._

_Zoey Brooks did not like to be challenged, although Logan often rose to the occasion to do just that. She brought her right fist up and slammed it into his eye. His head reeled back with the impact and, when she withdrew her fist, he looked sick._

_The churning that had been taking place within her stomach since witnessing the kiss grew worse. "Logan…" she whispered, appalled at her own actions._

_The look of shock on his face transformed to an arrogant and sort of seductive look. "Zoey, I kind of like the bad girl in you."_

_Enraged once more, she had yelled "SHUT UP!" at him, drawing more than just casual attention from anyone nearby, and spun on her foot, running into the distance, to a place of solitude where she could more clearly think over her discovery of love._

_The left behind Logan's face melted as she vanished, becoming softer. One hand moved to touch the sore eyes, fingers grazing the spot._

_Slowly, a tender smile spread over his features. Hoisting his back pack, he retreated as well, various thoughts flying through his brain. _

_He was sure that his thoughts were very much different than hers._

_- - - - - -_

_He found her in the Student Lounge, trying to get lost in the book she would be using in her science class that semester._

"_Zoey," he said, simply, falling onto the couch beside her. _

"_Chase," she murmured, not trusting herself to look into his eyes. She chose, rather, to keep her eyes focused on the chemistry book that rested in front of her. "What's up?"_

"'_What's up'," he told her, gently pulling the book from her grasp. "is that I have been looking all over campus for you."_

_She swallowed then lifted her eyes to meet his. The look of deep concern took her aback. "Why come? I mean, how come?"_

_A small crooked smile adorned itself on his face. "I don't know. Maybe because you saw me with Rebecca and ran out, not saying a word. I was worried Zoey."_

_Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes but she willed herself not to allow them to seep out, sliding down her face. She had never been one to wear her heart on her sleeve and the moment would not be the one she changed that fact about herself. "You have nothing to worry about Chase. I was just…I don't know, shocked, I guess. You never mentioned a girlfriend in any of your emails."_

_A look of guilt flashed across his face and he brought a hand up, rubbing it against the back of his head. "Unh, yeah. Well, I probably should have."_

"_Yeah, maybe," she retorted, anger in her tone._

_His eyes focused in on hers at the tone, his entire body becoming stone. He gulped and his adam's apple bobbed. Slowly, the hand that was still positioned on the back of his head moved, reaching for her._

_Her eyes widened at the movement then closed as his fingers barely touched her hand, that rested on the couch in front of her. Emotions exploded inside of her, rolled over like ocean waves, pulling her in… She was sinking under the power of the love she felt for him. It was crazy and she didn't quite understand what was happening. When she opened her eyes at last, he had scooted closer on the couch, his face looming before hers. The fingers of his hand encircled her wrist._

"_Zoey." The sound of his voice saying her name rolled off his tongue, sounding at once like a question and statement. It was full of vulnerability and confusion._

_Scared, Zoey began to withdraw, trying to remove her wrist from his fingers. _Stupid Rebecca,_ she thought. All of the unusual feelings inside of her were because of that girl._

_Chase moved in, face closer and closer. Before she could move away, his lips connected with her, sparks exploding as he did. The imprisoned wrist wrenched itself free at last then found it's way to the base of his neck. One of his hands touched her face, cupping her cheek. His thumb softly stroked the area under her eye, causing shivers up and down her spine. _

_They remained like that for an eternity before Zoey pushed him back. "What about Rebecca?" she breathed, speaking above the pulse that pounded in her ears._

"_Who?"_

_Smiling, Zoey reached forward and pulled him in for another kiss._

_- - - - - -_

_Upon finding out that Zoey and Chase were a couple, most of their friends were happy. Quinn and Lola jumped up and down, holding hands and screaming. Michael grinned, slapping Chase on the back. Only Logan refrained from sharing in the newfound joy. A strange expression arrested his features as he stared at them, at their joined hands, at the happy grins plastered on their faces. Zoey noticed the look in his eyes, as well as the purple bruising that made a circle around his left eye. A nagging feeling began in her stomach but she chose to ignore it, focusing instead on Chase's goofy grin, directed at her._

_Several days later, Logan came at her, fire in his brown eyes._

"_How could you Brooks?" he demanded, his voice loud but not quite a yell._

_She angled her head at him, not clear what she had done. "How could I have done _what_ Logan?"_

"_You know." He crossed his arms over his chest, the fire still burning in his orbs._

"_No I don't."_

_His eyes narrowed. "Whatever. Just get back to eating your lunch and waiting for your boyfriend." _

_Her mouth opened in surprise, words on the tip of her tongue, but he left before she could get them out. As he walked away, conflicting emotions played inside of her heart. Throat dry, she rose, intending to talk to him. She abandoned her tray and raced after him, catching up with him at the edge of the quad. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into an alcove of trees. "What is going on Logan?" she asked, while asking herself why she cared so much about Logan's problem. She never had before… Of course, she had never given him a black eye before either…_

"_Oh come off it Zoey. I know you told Chase about this." His finger pointed at the mark, now fading, she had left on him._

_Stunned at his accusation, Zoey stuttered, "N-no. I did not."_

"_Then who told him?" he asked, eyes narrowing._

"_I don't know. Maybe one of the many people passing by that day."_

_He regarded her a minute, obviously thinking about her words. "I guess that's possible."_

_She let out a breath, not sure why she had been holding it. Why would she care one iota about Logan being mad at her? "Well, my lunch awaits…"_

"_Wait." One hand shot out, grabbing her upper arm, preventing her from retreating._

_Days earlier, Chase's touch had produced emotions she had not known existed. Logan's touch did not have quite the same effect but it _did _have some kind of effect, as miniature butterflies flew erratically inside her stomach. She turned her head to the table where she had been sitting, spotting Chase and her other friends just taking their seats. They noticed her tray and began looking for her._

"_Zoey." The ragged way he said her name caused her pulse to race. She forced herself to look into his eyes. His lids had dropped, covering half of his eyes. Trembling hands would've betrayed her reaction to the look in his eyes if he had looked down. "Zoey, you and Chase…just don't make sense."_

_Gasping, she pulled her arm away from him. "What do you know?" she snapped, glaring at him preparing to exit. _

"_I know a lot. And…you need someone who will keep you on your toes. Chase won't do that for you."_

_Seething, she spun to face him, hands on her hips, eyes flashing. "Oh, and who could?" Her nostrils flared and she leaned in, hoping, for some reason, that her next words would pierce him. "And who will? You?"_

_He glanced down, seeming to gather bravery, then met her eyes, an open expression in them that she'd never witnessed before. "Maybe," he whispered._

_The next thing she knew, her hands were on his face, his entangled in her hair as they kissed. It was nothing like Chase's; it was intoxicating, the kind of kiss she could become addicted to._

_And, just like that, her whole world had been turned upside down._

**A/N: Rating this teen - the first time! But not because there will be an sexual content...there will be other content, however, that warrant a teen rating. Anyway, read and review, please! What do you think of the triangle so far? Oh, and flashbacks are not done yet! There will be more!**


	2. Lucky Girl

**Okay, so I posted this chapter and then got a review with some advice (which I truly appreciated). I did not felt comfortable with the way this chapter ended anyway, on top of the advice, so I went back and changed it. If you already read this chapter, please read the ending again and tell me what you think! Thanks!**

_Chapter Two: Starting to Fall_

Sunlight poured from the window, making a shaft of golden light on the carpeted floor. Zoey's eyes watched as tiny particles of dust and lint danced in the air, becoming visible only as they passed through the light. When Quinn cleared her throat a couple of times, Zoey blinked, then slowly shifted her eyes until they were focused on her friends. They were both sitting on the floor, in front of the television, wide eyes on her. Both were probably waiting for her to answer the question Lola posed only moments before. Sighing, Zoey allowed herself to collapse on the couch.

"You couldn't possibly understand," Zoey muttered, settling her chin on her arm, turning her eyes out the window. The beautiful day did not match the tumultuous feelings raging inside her.

"Well, help us then," Quinn said, rising from her position on the floor and walking to the couch. Her knees rested against the cushions. "Help us to understand what we possibly can't. Perhaps if you fully explain it, we may be able to help _you_ in your decision process."

"Yeah," said Lola, also rising. "I think I need a huge explanation in order to understand how you could ever consider even _having_ to choose between Chas and..._Logan_." Her nose wrinkled in distaste at her mention of the boy's name.

A carefully guarded expression crossed over Quinn's face. Zoey was sure that Quinn disapproved of the lack of tact in Lola's words. "What Lola means is…is that we thought you were happy with Chase. We thought you loved Chase. And Logan is…" She shrugged. "Logan. It's hard for us to picture him any other way."

Zoey glanced at her friends. "I would've agreed with you. Agreed that he was a jerk, a player, a snob…those things and more. However, I found that I was completely wrong…"

- - - - - -

_The wind blew through the skies, touching the leaves on the trees, rattling a few, causing them to fall to the ground. Zoey stood, hands clasped in front of her, watching as they swirled to the ground. A soft waft would often reach out to caress her cheek, push her hair off of her shoulders. A sigh exited her mouth, deep and remorseful. Not even three weeks earlier, in the same spot, Logan had pressed his lips to her in a passionate display that had caught her off guard. She had tried numerous times to justify the moment but had failed each time. In the end, she had managed to convince herself that it was merely a mistake to be forgotten about. Chase needn't ever discover what had transpired between her and Logan that day. She closed her eyes as another gust rushed over her and she shivered, even though the wind wasn't cold. One hand moved to touch her lips. Her cheating lips._

_A voice spoke, from behind her, startling her from her thoughts. "You don't deserve him."_

_She didn't need to turn to know who the voice belonged to. Her gut twisted within because she knew that Rebecca was right, but she could not reveal that to the girl who still cared for Chase. "And you think you do?" she managed to ask._

"_Probably not. But neither do you." The other girl's footsteps carried her to a standing position beside Zoey. "He deserves the best and that's not you."_

_The words were vengeful and mean…but so true. A lump caught in Zoey's throat, preventing her from retaliating. _

"_No response, huh Zoey? Must mean that you agree." Rebecca moved again, this time to the tree that was directly in front of Zoey. A hand rested lightly on the tree trunk and Rebecca twisted her upper body to stare at Zoey. "I don't deserve him but that doesn't mean that I won't be there, waiting for you to mess up. I'll be there, ready to accept him back into my arms."_

_Frozen, Zoey watched the other girl leave, not really feeling anything. Laughter echoed from far away, across the quad. Chase's laugh. Tears stung her eyes but she wouldn't cry. _

_A resolution formed in her heart, as she listened to the beautiful sound of Chase's laugh. _

_She wouldn't make a mistake. She wouldn't let Rebecca have a chance. _

_From that moment on, she would devote her everything to Chase and Chase alone._

_- - - - - - _

"_Are you sure about this?" Chase asked, his fingers brushing against at her knuckles._

"_Yes," she said firmly, resting her head against his stomach. "I'm very sure."_

"_But…the wrestling team?"_

"_Chase, I'll be the first girl in PCA history to be on it. That's exciting."_

_He ran the fingers of his hand through her hair. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."_

_She grinned at the sky, her smiling eyes fixed on passing clouds. "Don't worry Chase. I don't think anyone can hurt me as much as my parents will when they find out that I'm failing chemistry."_

_A chuckle escaped Chase's mouth, despite his best efforts to hold it back. _

_She reached one hand and pinched the skin of his upper arm between her fingers. "So not funny."_

"_Sorry. I was just thinking about when Quinn tried to help you."_

_Sitting up, Zoey flipped her hair over her shoulder before turning her eyes to him. "Firewire was no help either. I wish there was someone who could _actually _help me."_

_Chase sat up too, crossing his arms and resting them on his raised knees. "Didn't Ms. Bromwell say there was another person who might be able to help you?"_

_Zoey's fingers traced circles on the grass. "Yeah. But whoever he or she was absolutely refused."_

"_Well, that's just rude."_

_Zoey grimaced at him. "I know, right?"_

_In an attempt to comfort her, he moved, wrapping both arms around her. "You'll get it, I promise."_

_She relaxed into his arms, happiness unmarred by any painful recollections of the past. "And this wrestling thing - well, it'll be a piece of cake."_

_- - - - - -_

_The concern that Chase had voiced was echoed, several days later, by none other than Logan Reese._

"_You can't do it," he told her, sitting across the table from where she was sitting with her dinner, waiting for Lola and Quinn to join her. Per usual, they were late._

_Uncomfortable, for it was the first time the two had spoken to each other directly since the incident, Zoey wiggled on the chair. "Do what?" she asked, poking her food with her fork._

"_Join the wrestling team."_

_Anger welled, washing any embarrassed feelings away. "You have no say over what I do Logan."_

_For a few minutes he didn't speak, staring at her. Not appreciating the scrutiny of his gaze, she shifted once more in her seat. "But you're a girl," he said at last, no conviction in his tone._

_Something inside told her Logan wasn't being completely honest. "That's the point."_

"_You don't always have to make a point," he told her, almost growling. "I mean, Zoey…" The volume of his voice dropped. "Zoey, someone could seriously hurt you."_

_Their eyes locked in on one another and she shivered at the intensity she glimpsed. "That's a risk I'm willing to take."_

_He opened his mouth, ready to protest, then abruptly shut it as the aforementioned girls approached the table._

"_Hey Logan," said Quinn amiably, taking a seat next to him. _

_He lifted his chin, eyes still drilling into Zoey's. "Hey."_

_Lola chose to ignore him, beginning a tirade about some boy who had dissed her somehow. The words passed right through Zoey as Logan mumbled something about having to be somewhere, leaving the table. Quinn's eyebrows rose and she squinted her eyes at Zoey. "What's wrong with him?" _

"_He's _Logan_," Zoey responded, bringing a bite of her chicken to her mouth. "Who can tell?"_

_The explanation seemed to satisfy her friends, but Zoey couldn't help but feel rather unsettled._

_- - - - - - _

_Her first wrestling match landed her in the nurse's room in PCA's medical wing. When she awoke, her last memory being of Chuck Javers' face coming at her and then darkness, a wave of pain began in her head, shooting down through her body. _

"_Ow," she said into the nearly empty room._

_Movement to her left caught her attention and she tried to turn her head. The simple twist of her neck created spasms of pain._

"_Zoey," came Chase's wonderful voice, sounding tired, as if he had been dozing. His hand slipped into hers. "You're awake."_

"_What happened?" she asked, her voice sounding strangled to her ears._

"_Javers hurt you."_

"_Unnnhhh…." came a groan to her right._

"_Who's that?"_

_When Chase didn't answer she forced herself to turn her eyes to him. He sat, leaning forward, one hand supporting his chin. The dark look in his eyes scared her._

"_Chase?" she whispered, her voice loud in the quiet room._

"_It's Logan," he said, not moving his eyes to hers._

_Worry consumed her and she, rather sharply, and painfully, turned her head to the right. Logan was in the bed beside her, his face barely recognizable. That was the least of his injuries._

_Gasping, she whispered his name. When he didn't respond, she turned her eyes back to Chase, desperate to discover what had happened when she had been unconscious._

_His mouth was open slightly and his eyes had retained that darkness. "He went after Javers. Tried to beat him up."_

_Torn apart inside, she closed her eyes. Why would Logan do something like that? The answer was obvious but Zoey wasn't sure she wanted to admit it to herself. _

_In the back of her mind, a voice whispered that Chase understood what she wasn't ready to._

_The nurse's voice came in through the open door before she could say anything to Chase. "Time for you to get back to your dorm Mr. Matthews."_

_Chase dropped his eyes to the floor, then stood, releasing her hand, rubbing his hands on his pants. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."_

_He started to leave, then stopped, spun around. He walked back over the bed and placed his hands on the mattress, leaning over. His lips touched her for the briefest of seconds, reminding her of how much she loved him._

"_Night Chase!" she called after him, smiling at the empty doorway._

"_Unnnhhh," came Logan's miserable groan again._

_Feeling sorry, Zoey glanced at him again. "Why'd you do it Logan?" she asked, aware that he wouldn't be able to answer._

"_For…" he struggled to speak. "For you…"_

_Gulping, Zoey straightened her head, round eyes on the ceiling. At once, she felt both hot and cold, though she was not quite sure why._

_After all, Logan was her friend, and his failed attempt at pummeling Chuck Javers was just his way of being a friend._

_That he rarely acted as a friend to _anyone_ didn't make the act any more meaningful._

_Right?_

_The question hung in her mind for a moment before she pushed it aside. Memories of Chase's warm kiss washed over her. In spite of the pain, she smiled._

_She was a lucky girl to have such a boyfriend._


	3. Once More

**So I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending of the last chapter - even the second one - but the intent had changed, which was what I wanted. I'm happier with this chapter...I hope others are happy with it as well. Read and review! Thanks...**

_Chapter Three: Once More_

_Sighing, Zoey let her body sink down onto the chair, her most current chemistry test clutched in her hands. The large red "F" at the top burned itself into her retinas, creating a fire in her brain that turned into a headache. Temples throbbing, she grasped at her smoothie, which was all the lunch she could really stomach, and desperately sipped up the fruit mixture through the straw, hoping that the blended ingredients might serve as an elixir. They didn't, of course. Sighing, in frustration, Zoey placed the test upside down and pushed it away from her. A hand reached out and touched the paper, flipping it over._

"_Oh," said Chase, holding the test aloft, his eyes on the grade. "That's why you left chemistry so quickly."_

"_I don't want to talk about it," she grumbled, taking another swig of her smoothie. "Let's talk about something more pleasant. Like root canals."_

_Chase chuckled at her sarcasm then tactfully changed the subject. "Well, I was thinking that we should do something fun on Saturday. Last Saturday, you got knocked out by a male wrestler. I thought that, maybe, this Saturday we could devote our time to something less harmful."_

_A laugh, that came from somewhere in her belly, forced it's way out, in spite of her humorless mood. "I'd like that Mr. Matthews." To further show her approval of such a plan, she leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips._

"_Ewww…can you not do that when I'm around?" came Lola's voice, interrupting their moment._

_The couple raised eyebrows at the same time at Lola's question. "I thought you were happy for us," Zoey said._

"_I am," muttered Lola. "I'm just jealous. I want a boyfriend!"_

"_It takes a big person to admit that," Chase told her, momentarily placing his hand on her forearm. "You're a big person Lola."_

_Her eyes narrowed at his teasing. "Thanks Chase." She shifted in her seat, ripping open a bag of potato chips at the same time. "You know, there's something I've always wanted to ask. And by 'always' I mean the last few weeks."_

"_Shoot," said Chase, shoving a forkful of his lunch into an open mouth._

"_How did you muster up the courage to kiss Zoey that first time? I mean, it's not like you're known for being courageous."_

_Chase stopped in mid-chew, sending Lola a withering look. Before he answered, he swallowed his food. "Gee, Lola, thanks for the insult." She shrugged nonchalantly then waited for him to continue. "And…you're right. I probably would have never had the courage to kiss her had it not been for the look in her eyes. I saw that she loved me and it freaked me out. In a good way. And, all of sudden, it was like I was outside of my body, watching as I moved forward, in slow motion to kiss her." He glanced at Zoey, who smiled at him encouragingly. "I'm not sure if that makes sense. It's really hard to explain why I acted so out of character." He turned his eyes to Lola, who sat, mesmerized. "But even though I did, I will never regret that moment. Not ever."_

_When she realized that she was probably required to say something, she said, around the potato chips that she had been silently munching as Chase talked, "That's so romantic."_

_For a moment, nobody spoke, then Zoey felt the presence of another person. Her eyes looked up to see Logan, standing at the table, his tray in hand. He had obviously come in on the tail end of the conversation but that didn't explain the look of distaste on his face. When she noticed he was staring at her test, which had remained in a position that allowed all those passing by to see the red mark at the top, she pulled it off the table, settling it in her lap._

_With a clearing of his throat, Logan took a seat at the table. Both Lola and Chase greeted him, while Zoey offered him a smile. His actions towards Chuck had proved he was a good friend - and nothing more, despite that kiss that Zoey kept telling herself was just a flub - and she felt somewhat indebted to him, though she'd rather eat live ants than admit that to him. Her eyes wandered to him once more, roving over the wounds that still marred his handsome face._

_Handsome?_

_She gulped, smiled a shaky smile at no one in particular, then reached for her smoothie._

_- - - - - -_

"_So, you're having a problem in chemistry?"_

_Zoey looked up to see Logan standing in the doorway to her room, cocky lopsided grin in place. "No. I'm doing just fine-"_

"_Come off it Brooks," he cut her off, taking a step into the room. "I saw the grade on your test."_

_Swinging her legs off of the single bed, she prepared to stand and push him out the door, slamming it on his smug countenance. Before she could, he spoke again, causing her to halt once her feet hit the ground. _

"_Maybe I could help you. I mean, I didn't want to before…but you _are _my friend…" _

_She could almost hear him swallowing, as his eyes remained trained on the rug at her feet. "What are you talking about Logan? How can _you_ possibly help me improve my chemistry grade?"_

_The next words out of his mouth were mumbled so quietly that Zoey, even straining her ears, couldn't hear them. _

"_What?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest, wondering why Logan was acting so unlike himself - meaning, having an arrogant free, and almost humble, moment._

"_I said," he said, grinding his teeth. "That I get chemistry and I could tutor you."_

_It took a minute for the words to sink in. When they did, she sputtered in laughter. "Y-you are good at chemistry?"_

_Clearly livid, he reached an arm around, ripping a paper out of his backpack. "I don't know why it's so hard to believe that I'm good at one subject in school" The paper came out and he threw it at her. It floated to the ground and she bent at the waist, the paper between her fingers. The "A" at the top ended her laughter. "There's your proof."_

_Stupefied, Zoey stared at the grade, her mouth falling open. Still not willing to have faith in Logan's ability to tutor her, Zoey told Logan she would have to talk to Ms. Bromwell._

"_Fine," he said, turning to take his leave. "But if you do, maybe I'll change my mind."_

_She glanced from the paper to Logan's backside, slowly retreating, then called out, before he could take another step, "Wait!"_

_And that's how she ended up with Logan as her tutor in chemistry._

_- - - - - -_

_Surprisingly, Logan helped Zoey to understand chemistry. Where Quinn and Firewire, two of the smartest teens at PCA, had failed, Logan Reese, not a person to be considered a 'brain', succeeded. _

_His only stipulation in tutoring her was that she keep the truth a secret._

"_Look," he had told her. "I have a certain image to uphold. I can't let it get out that I understand chemistry. There's no way I'm going to be grouped with people like Quinn and Firewire and all those other freaks." Rolling her eyes, at what she thought was fairly stupid, she had nodded in agreement, even though it meant keeping a secret from Chase. She was frantic to pass chemistry, no matter what. "Stupid grandpa," he had murmured, under his breath ._

_Zoey had heard but didn't inquire as to the meaning. He had already informed her that he had been forced to spend every summer with his grandfather, a chemistry professor, as a child._

_Only one week into the strange relationship and Zoey began to feel more confident in her chemistry knowledge._

"_Logan, you're really helping me here," she told him, closing her chemistry book after an intense study session, which, Zoey reflected in relief, had not been infused with any of the tension that had often existed between the two since the…the…thing that she refused to fully acknowledge._

"_Glad to hear it," he responded, leaning back against the couch cushions. He regarded her for a minute, as she packed up her stuff, then said, "Got somewhere to be?"_

"_Un huh. Promised Chase I'd meet him later."_

_She was so focused on her upcoming date with Chase that she missed the look of contempt on his face. "Is Chase suspicious? I mean, what do you tell him about our study sessions?"_

"_Oh," she responded, smiling at him. "I tell him the truth. That I'm studying. I just neglect to mention that I'm studying with you."_

"_Huh." Silence fell again, as he continued to gaze at her. His eyes shifted away when she glanced at him, as she stood. _

"_So, um, I'll just see you lat-"_

"_Do you ever think about it?" he spat out abruptly. _

_Not for once questioning what he was talking about, she felt her eyes grow. They must've been wider than saucers, to use a cliché. "A-about what?"_

_Their eyes met, his almost vulnerable. "You know what Zoey."_

"_Oh, that." Her heart constricted within her chest. This was not a conversation she wanted to be having. "I never think about it. It was a mistake. I'm with Chase and I'm so happy…" Her words trailed off as she watched him. Crestfallen, he let his back curve, perfect posture disappearing in what she thought was sorrow. "Logan…I…I just want to be friends with you."_

_His eyes flicked to hers, brown eyes trying to hide pain. "Sure. I mean, the kiss meant nothing to me either. It was just one in a thousand, a million. That's why I wanted to talk to you about it. To make sure that we were still friends."_

_The tone behind his words wasn't very convincing but she decided to let it drop. Even if they had both been completely honest with one another - that the kiss had confused her and that it had meant something to him - it wouldn't have mattered. Because she was Chase's girlfriend. His completely devoted girlfriend who had made one minor slip up and would not make another. No matter how dizzy she sometimes felt in Logan's presence. "We're still friends," she assured him, before turning her back on him and leaving her for date with Chase._

_Leaving him alone to try and contain the tumult of emotions inside of him._

_- - - - - -_

_A squeal almost escaped Zoey's lips as she spied the grade at the top of the page. "B-". Grinning like an idiot, Zoey turned to tell her boyfriend, but then remembered that she couldn't. For if she told him, he would wonder how she had managed to go from an "F" to a "B-". And she couldn't possibly explain without bringing Logan into the equation. Eventually, though, she would have to tell him. She couldn't hide her rising grade in chemistry forever._

_After class, a hand reached out, fingers encircling her upper arm. She gasped as she was pulled into a bush, her hair getting caught in the branches._

"_How'd you do?" Logan asked, eagerly._

_The grin, that hadn't really ceased since receiving the test, widened, as she flashed the test at him._

"_Alright!" He raised his hand and hers touched his, in a high five_

_At the contact, they both jumped. Before Zoey could remove her hand from his, he jerked her forward, their faces mere inches apart. His breath felt warm on her face. Her eyes concentrated on his lips, in spite of her best effort to look elsewhere. Sweating from every pore and heart palpitating, she waited for him close the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. Part of her wanted him to while the other part was ready to punch him in the eye again. _

_He did lean in but, instead of placing his lips to hers, his head moved to the side of hers, his mouth creating a tingling sensation against her ear. "You owe me one Brooks."_

_Then he was gone, leaving behind a frozen Zoey._

_Just when she had thought that she had it all sorted out, Logan had gone and turned her world upside down once more._


	4. Love Them Both

_Chapter Four: Love Them Both_

"Unh," came Lola's voice from far away. "Still not seeing how Logan changed exactly."

Zoey's eyes snapped to her friend, who was sitting on the top bunk, legs crossed. "You interrupted me!" she accused, standing and stretching her legs.

"I think I'm starting to see," said Quinn softly, from her position on the ground, leaning against the bottom bunk. "First, Logan beat up Chuck Javers in an attempt to protect you. Though the gesture failed, the meaning was somewhat sweet. And second, he tutored you, even though he knew that, soon enough, he would be found out."

Zoey transferred her eyes to a spot on the floor and nodded. "There's more."

"Well, do tell," Lola said, jumping off the bunk to the floor. She grabbed a brush, almost frantically running the bristles down the length of her thick brown hair. "Because I'm getting antsy, staying in this room for so long."

Biting her bottom lip, Zoey let her gaze travel to a shoebox that just peeked out from under her bed. After a moment's hesitation she headed toward it, bending at the waist, grasping the cardboard with her fingers. She pulled off the lid to reveal a dried, pressed pink flower and a folded piece of paper. The two items in the box only reminded her of the choice she had to make. Swallowing, she held the box out to her roommates, who each grabbed a corner. Quinn's nimble fingers pulled out the flower, dropping it lightly into her other hand.

"This is the flower Chase gave you on your first date," she stated. Zoey nodded then swallowed once more as Lola began to unfold the piece of paper.

"This…" Lola trailed off as her eyes scanned the paper. "This is a letter from Logan."

As soon as Lola's last word was spoken, Quinn jumped to her side, eyes drinking in the words on the page, pink flower still clutched, delicately, in her hand. Without stopping to think about it, Quinn began to read the letter out loud. "Zoey. I didn't mean what I said. About you owing me anything. Really, I'm the one that owes you. I'm not sure you realize it but you have helped me to be a better person. Helped me to see what a jerk I can be. So just forget I said what I did. Also, I don't think that you need me to tutor you anymore. You can handle it alone. Your friend, I think, Logan."

For a moment, after Quinn had finished reading the letter, the room was quiet, as Zoey's two friends processed the word of the note. The words were familiar to Zoey, as she had read the letter so many times that she had it memorized.

"Why is this letter in the same box as Chase's flower?" asked Lola, scrunching her face in consternation.

Taking a deep breath, Zoey forced up watery eyes, alternately glancing at Quinn and Lola. Inside her chest, her heart constricted with the truth, the truth of it all.

__

"I can't do this anymore," he had told her, grasping her upper arm, his fingers tingling the flesh on the underside.

"Do what?" she asked, feigning ignorance, as she had been doing since that first kiss.

"Pretend." His brown eyes had been stone, not friendly as they usually were.

"Pretend what?" she murmured, fighting to keep her breath, as his hand tightened on her arm.

Instead of responding, he continued to stare into her eyes, his mouth a thin line across his face.

"The note…" she said, stomach quivering. "The note was sweet but Logan you can't possibly think…that I…that you and I…"

"The kiss," he said simply, emotions still a mystery.

The quivering moved from her stomach, outward, until her whole body was trembling. "I thought we decided…"

"I've been thinking a lot about that Zoey. And I changed my mind."

"Changed your…changed your mind?" Zoey sincerely wished that Chase, the person she had been intending to find when entering the boy's dorm room that afternoon, would barge in. "You can't-"

"I did," he told her fiercely, eyes flashing hot anger at her. And possibly something else…

"Well, it meant nothing to me." Even as the words passed through her mouth, she knew that they were false. She knew that she had been falling in love with Logan since that kiss, maybe even before the kiss, but couldn't let her happiness with Chase be shattered. Her mind reflected on the note that she had saved, in a special spot, and her heart ached. "Nothing," she repeated, tears forming in her brown eyes.

"Prove it." His hand dropped from her arm, leaving a cold spot, his eyes boring into hers. She felt like he was looking into her heart.

"And how do I 'prove it'?" she asked, crossing her arms over chest, trying to quell the shivering that threatened to give her away.

The leer on his face should've given her warning but, perhaps, she hadn't wanted to move. In an instant, he had pressed his lips to hers, in a kiss that was gentler than the previous one. Surprised at the tenderness of the kiss, she found she couldn't move. After a moment, she gave up trying to fight, and wrapped both of her arms around the boy she had once thought she hated. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer.

As Zoey continued to kiss Logan, she took back the wish she had formerly made, about Chase coming into the room. If he came into the room, his heart would break, which, in turn, would make her heart break.

Because she may have been falling for Logan, but she was already in love with Chase.

"I love them both," she said plainly, taking the box back, gazing inside at the two items that had been placed, once more, in their resting places. "I love them both."

"How can you love Chase _and _Logan?" Lola exploded, waving her slender arms around, banging Quinn in the process.

"Ow!" cried the girl, rubbing her arm where Lola had hit.

"I mean," said Lola, ignoring Quinn, "I can understand why you would love Chase." Both girls regarded her with raised eyebrows. "What? It's not like I…I…" Flustered, Lola crossed the room, sitting on Quinn's bottom bunk, lips pushed out in a pout. "I just see how Chase treats you Zoey. Like a princess."

Zoey's eyes shot to the flower. "Yeah. Everyone can see that. I love that about him. How he's not afraid to let the whole world see how much he loves me."

"But Logan cares too," intoned Quinn, taking a seat on the couch. "He just doesn't show it like Chase. He's not the type of guy who would just come out and say 'I love you' to a girl."

"No," agreed Zoey, shaking her head. "He's not." She paused, trying to put into words the love she felt for each boy. How Chase's slightest touch made her feel like skipping through a meadow of flowers with the sun shining down her. How Logan's breath against her hair made her feel like the waves of the ocean, pounding relentlessly against the sandy beach.

"I understand," Quinn told her solemnly. "I love two men as well."

"You?" exclaimed Lola.

"Who?" Zoey asked, a questioning look in her eyes.

"Mark and Einstein. Duh."

Slouching, Zoey rolled her eyes. "Not the same Quinn."

Shrugging, Quinn didn't respond.

Zoey dropped heavily on her bed, still gazing into the shoebox. "What am I going to do?"

"I know who I would choose," she heard Lola say.

Annoyed at her friends, who were not helping the matter any, Zoey shoved the box back under her bed and said, "I need some air."

**A/N: In case you're not aware, the box represents Zoey's heart, which has room for two. I toyed with the idea of having Zoey realize her feelings for Logan in later flashbacks but decided against it. At this point, within the flashbacks, Zoey has had plenty of time to think about it, as months have passed since that first kiss. I am not adept at explaining the love a girl can have for two at one time, since I myself have never loved two at the same time, but I tried my best. Please review and let me know your thoughts. Perhaps they can help me to write a better next chapter.**


	5. Played Your Cards Right

**This one came out pretty quickly and I feel much more satisfied with it then the last chapter. As always, I request your thoughts...it only takes a little time to hit the "submit a review" button, right? Am I right?**

_Chapter Five: Played Your Cards Right_

Zoey's walk around the campus wasn't exactly aimless, as she had no desire to come face to face with either Chase or Logan. A grumbled sigh exited her mouth as she crept, silently, behind the library. Usually, there were no people sheltered in the shadow of the large building. That day, a day that Zoey wanted more than anything to have some solitude to think things over, was the one day that the space was occupied.

"Zoey Brooks," Rebecca half-sneered, glancing up from the book that was opened in her lap.

Unsure of whether to sit or leave, she hesitated, crossing and uncrossing her arms.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, then patted the spot of grass next to her. "Sit down."

Complying, against her better judgment, Zoey plopped onto the grass. "What are you doing back here?"

Figuring she wouldn't get to finish her chapter with Zoey hovering so near, the brunette closed the book she had been reading. "Being the most unpopular girl in school."

"What? You…" Zoey trailed off, not finding any kind words for the girl that had threatened to steal Chase away from her should the moment arise. She focused her eyes on the multiple strands of grass that poked up from the brown earth, thinking that the moment had arisen. She wondered when Rebecca would move.

"Let me guess why you're back here," said Rebecca rearranging herself on the grass. Her knees drawn into her chest, she turned brown eyes on Zoey. "You're here because of Chase. Or is it Logan? Which one is it Zoey?"

Balling her hands into fists, Zoey flashed her own eyes at Rebecca's, who returned her look with one of indifference. "You know, Chase is all vulnerable right now. Would've expected you to be there, trying to be his second choice."

"Do you really think that your words will wound me Zoey?" Rebecca laughed, placing a hand lightly to her chest. The laughter stopped abruptly. The next words were spoken coolly. "My heart is calloused by now."

Shuddering at the girl's dark tone, Zoey moved her gaze away, watching as the clouds passed by over head.

"You know what I don't get Zoey?" When Zoey didn't respond, Rebecca continued with her query. "What I don't get is why you let it happen. If you had played your cards right, Chase would've never found out about your little affair with Logan."

If she had played her cards right… It had been Zoey's intention to do just that - to bide her time with Logan, trying to figure out who she loved more, if she _did_ love one more than the other. But, unfortunately, Logan had other ideas…

_- - - - - -_

_It was at meal times that she felt the most guilty. Chase would be sitting next to her, his hand often touching her hand, or the small of her back. Across the table, glowering at the supposed happy couple, would be Logan, slowly chewing his food. The only person, besides Zoey, who seemed to register Logan's somewhat odd behavior, was Quinn._

_"What's up with Logan?" she had asked both Zoey and Lola one day as they walked to class._

_"What do you mean?" asked the ever-oblivious Lola._

_"He's acting sullen. Well," Quinn amended. "More sullen than usual."_

_Trying to appear nonchalant, Zoey had swung her arms at her sides, turning her face to the shining November sun. "I don't think he's acting strange at all."_

_"Yeah," agreed Lola. "He's just annoying old Logan."_

_"I don't know," said Quinn, thoughtfully rubbing her chin with her index finger. "I still think something's not right…" Her pause hung in the air for a terrifying moment, as Zoey hoped against hope that Quinn wouldn't get it into her head to attempt to dissect Logan's current behavior. At last, she shrugged. "If something's bothering him, it's up to him to tell us, right?"_

_Both girls nodded, and Zoey breathed in deeply, in relief. She still wasn't exactly sure what to do and, had Quinn discovered the budding secret relationship, Zoey would have been faced with a hard choice._

_- - - - - -_

_"Your hair smells good," Logan murmured, pulling Zoey in closer, pressing his lips against her temple._

_She smiled, allowing him to gently leave a trial of kisses down the side of her face. The shadows moved, letting the sunlight in for a moment. It touched her face, washing her in guilt. While in the shadows, with Logan, she felt that everything was okay, that she was doing nothing wrong. _

_"Zoey?" _

_His voice brought her out of her thoughts and she fixed her eyes on him. Her fingers moved to his face, rubbing his cheek with her knuckles. She wondered how she had never before noticed the innocence in his eyes. Or how very attractive he was. Leaning towards him, the tree at her back scratching through the material of her shirt, she touched her lips to his. Kissing him felt good._

_"Mmm…"_

_When he pulled back, she was slightly shocked. In the two weeks of their relationship, he had never been the first to pull away. He gulped, noisily, then sandwiched one of her hands in his. "Zoey, I…" When his brown eyes searched hers, she tried to take her hand away from his._

_"Please, Logan, don't make this more complicated."_

_"It doesn't have to be," he said, glumly, relinquishing his hold on her hand. "I mean, it's complicated because of Chase."_

_Her lips parted as she regarded to boy to her right. Was he asking her to choose? "It's complicated," she protested. "Because of everything. I never meant to feel…"_

_"Feel for both of us?" The saddened look in his eyes went straight to her heart, causing tears to form in her eyes, which had been happening far too often of late. She winced as she remembered a similar look in Chase's eyes only the night before, as he had asked if they were okay. It had been hard to hold in the tears at that time too. Her mind flashed to an open meadow, spring flowers then, just as quickly, transferred to a moonlight ocean, frothy waves pounding, pounding, pounding… Maybe that was her heart… "Zoey?"_

_She snapped open her eyes, which had closed, without her realizing it. "Sorry. Can we talk about this later?"_

_"No." The strength in his voice made her feel weak. "No. I just…I hate it when you're with him."_

_"I was with him first!" she exclaimed, watching as Logan put distance between them._

_"Yeah. You were. I guess, then, you know who want to be with!"_

_Zoey felt her heart breaking as she watched Logan storm off from their secret alcove, leaving her to question his last statement._

_- - - - - - _

_For two days, Zoey existed in a state of misery, missing Logan, feeling terrible about missing Logan, trying to make Chase happy. _

_She detested her upside down world._

_Despite being miserable on the inside, she conveyed a sense of cheerfulness to her friends that, she could tell, only made Logan pissed off._

_On the third day, she didn't think she could take any more of the heartache. So, in typical teenage girl fashion, she threw herself onto her bed, stared at the ceiling, and used a spoon to remove large portions of chocolate ice cream from a carton, which she crammed into her mouth. Luckily, both Quinn and Lola were out with their respective boyfriends (well, Lola's boyfriend of the moment) so she had the room all to herself. Hopefully, Stacey Dillsen wouldn't pop her head in the room, blathering on about Q-tips or some such nonsense. Zoey had important business to tend to. She was going to try to figure out which boy she cared for most._

_Chase. Chase was…wonderful. And Zoey loved him with all her heart…with the part he possessed at least. Logan also had a part of her heart. Sighing, Zoey took another huge bite of the ice cream. Chase. Focus on Chase. He loved her so much. He told her everyday how special she was, how blessed he was to simply be near her. Her heart swelled at the remembrance of his words. He made her think of that open meadow, those flowers, sun shining. The one memento she had from him was the flower that he had given her on their first date. She recalled what he had said, in a scratchy voice, as if he had been afraid that she would reject it and him. "Zoey, this flower is pink, to symbolize our friendship. May our friendship last forever…but one day, I'll give you another flower. A red one. If you want me to…" Red for passion. For love. He had yet to give her that red flower…_

_And Logan. Logan was…something else entirely. She couldn't quite wrap her mind around the beginnings of that relationship. It had always been fun to tease Logan, to torment him. Had she ever really hated him, though? Her head said yes but her heart echoed no. She dropped the spoon into the ice cream carton, astonished that the ice cream had so rapidly vanished. She sat up, reached under her bed, pulled out the box. She smoothed out the note and re-read it for the thousandth time. It was all the cursed letter's fault. If Logan had never given it to her, she wouldn't have given in so easily, that afternoon in his room. He was the ocean, making her pulse pound, threatening to draw her in, pull her under. But was that what she wanted? To be pulled under? To allow herself to truly enter into a relationship with a boy who had never had a serious anything?_

_Frustrated, she dropped the box and kicked it under her bed._

_"Angry about something?"_

_She spun on her bed, turning to face a glaring Logan. "No," she huffed, determined to keep him at bay._

_He snorted then took a step in. "I just wanted to…wanted to…"_

_As she watched him flounder for words, it occurred to her that he had no idea why he had come. The vulnerability of his state pulled at her heart strings. It was funny that she had always thought Logan the more confident of her guy friends. She had been wrong. "Oh Logan," she said, swinging her legs off the bed, her feet hitting the floor. "I'm unhappy too."_

_He bit his lip as she approached him, a glimmer in her eyes. She reached out, placing a hand on his chest. Through her hand, she could feel his wildly beating heart. "No," he told her, voice low and gravelly. "You…you gotta choose."_

_Head spinning, she remained frozen. Choose? She blinked. He wasn't supposed to say that…_

_"Choose what?" came a voice from the doorway. _

_Heart in her throat, she transferred her eyes from Logan's face to beyond his shoulder. To see Chase's eyes, confused and hurt. _

_And that's when it had all gone to hell._

_The two boys had started to yell, as Zoey pressed her hands over her ears. It hadn't taken Chase long to figure out exactly what was happening and he demanded, same as Logan, that she choose._

_Over Thanksgiving break, she had pondered._

_When she returned to PCA, they had been there, expecting her decision. But she wasn't ready. With classes starting the next day, she had holed up in her room, her roommates questions and pointed stares giving her a headache…_

Which was why she needed to leave that room, head away from having to think about the choice for two seconds.

Unfortunately, finding Rebecca made that impossible.

"I played my cards all wrong," she said, sadly. "All wrong and I'm losing the game…"


	6. Lead the Way

_Chapter Six: Lead the Way_

"So what?" asked Rebecca, running her hand along the ground. "Do you expect me to feel sorry for you? You've got two boys fighting over, one that I lo-used to date-and you expect _me_ to feel sorry for _you_?"

Stunned into silence, Zoey let her eyes travel to meet Rebecca's. In them, she read utter heartbreak. It was then that she realized that Rebecca was a human being. A real life human being, who had complex emotions and understood the heartache of romance. Zoey had been the cause of her heartache. "No. I suppose you shouldn't."

A few more minutes passed as the girls sat, a slight wind rushing through the open space behind the library. "What are you going to do?" asked Rebecca, not being led by her desire to resume things with Chase but our of a simple teenage curiosity.

"Wish I could tell you that," Zoey muttered, lacing her fingers together in her lap.

"You just have to listen to your heart," Rebecca said, eyes meeting Zoey's. "It won't let you down."

It wasn't that simple but, before Zoey could tell the other girl that, she heard her name, being yelled loudly from across campus. The voice yelling belonged to Michael.

"ZOEEEEY!!"

- - - - - -

Getting out of the room had been Michael's idea. He hated watching his two best friend's pace, parallel from each other, growling like two beasts.

Occasionally, one would speak, only to be countered by the other.

"You don't deserve her, Logan."

"Isn't that for her to decide?"

"I love her."

"Well, who does she love?"

"Me!" Chase jerked his thumb into his chest, eyes wild. Michael had never seen him look so feral. Afraid that Logan's next comment might push Chase over the edge, and to blows, he suggested, rubbing his hands together, that they all head outside.

The other two had, rather reluctantly, agreed.

And so they had found themselves in an public area, eyes directed in opposite directions. Michael attempted at humor but fell flat. Maybe it wasn't the time…

While they were sitting, and Michael was standing, ready to thwart off any attempt of aggression, Quinn and Lola showed up. They offered each boy shaky smiles but received nothing in return. Then, none to gently, they dragged Michael a slight distance away.

"Girls," he whined. "I've got a keep an eye on those two, to make sure that they don't tear each other apart!"

"Yeah, we know," said Lola, in hushed tones. "You're doing your job but we failed in ours."

He turned bug eyes to them. "You let Zoey out!" he hissed.

Quinn crossed her arms over her chest and protruded her bottom lip, slightly. "We can't just control Zoey."

"Well, you could've tried!" Michael exclaimed. In all his hysteria, he didn't notice the activity between the two boys on the bench.

"Her and I, we belong together," said Chase softly, not bothering to look at Logan.

"You know, it seems to me that you keep deciding everything for Zoey. She's her own person!"

"I know that," Chase replied, gripping the bench. "But I also know _her, _well. I know what she'll decide."

Logan turned mocking, angry eyes on the other boy. "And yet you didn't know about us. The first kiss, the many that followed." His eyes narrowed, turned hard as flint. "The many that followed," he repeated, drawing out the words.

It was all that Chase could take. As soon as his eyes met Logan's, he brought his fist out to slam against the smug jaw of the other boy. He watched as Logan fell backward, his head hitting the grass that lay behind the bench. In a slowed reaction, Logan stood, blinking several times at the bushy haired boy.

"Didn't think you had it in you," he said, before swinging out his own fist, hitting Chase squarely in the eye. Chase's head went back, a little, but he remained sitting. "Have you ever felt Zoey's pulse, at her wrist, pounding against your fingertips?" Chase fumed, looked like he wanted to hit Logan one more time. "Thought not." Ignoring the cries of his friends, Logan turned, prepared to head away from his once friend, now nemesis.

"Logan, Chase," cried Michael, literally wringing his hands. Unexpected by all, Chase went from sitting to charging, rushing at Logan's retreating back. He caught him around the waist, both boys plummeting to the ground.

Logan, not thinking that Chase would make another move against him, didn't have a chance to extend his arms in front of him, touching the ground to his hands. He felt the impact of his chin hitting the hard earth beneath him, tasted the blood as his teeth bit into his tongue. The wrestler in him took over and he turned, deftly, pressing his hands to Chase's chest and pushing outward. The darker hair boy went back a few paces then, once more, ran for Logan. At the last second, Logan stepped out of the way, putting his arm in Chase's way. As intended, Logan's arm hit Chase across the chest, felling him backwards. The hard crack of skull against the earth was not enough to deter Chase, however.

In the background, from what seemed so very far away, came the whimpers of their three friends.

Angrier by the minute, Chase stood, faced Logan, grimaced at the pain pulsing through his head. Logan raised one eyebrow, in an arrogant manner, that served to only further infuriate Chase. They circled around each other, neither one making a move.

"She could never love you," whispered Chase for only Logan to hear, after what seemed like an eternity.

The words hurt Logan more than he would ever be willing to admit. Because, deep down, he knew they had to be true. This time, he made the first move. Chase was waiting, ready to kick his foot up, finding it's mark on Logan's stomach. A whoosh of air blew of out Logan's lips as he fell to the ground. Before he could move, Chase's fist was connecting with his face. Over and over.

Somewhere, in the hazy corners of his mind, he heard Michael bellowing Zoey's name.

And then the pounding ceased. Before his eyes was Quinn, brown eyes filled with concern. "Logan, are you okay?"

It was hard to turn his head but he managed, spying Chase not far away, Lola restraining him from causing further damage to Logan's face. "I, un…that's really gonna leave a mark."

A small, sad smile flitted across her face. "Yeah, I think it will." She helped him up and began pulling him away from the area they had all been standing.

"Where are we going?"

"To my room. I'll patch you up a bit."

He glanced over his shoulder as the rounded a corner, just in time to see Zoey running behind Michael toward Chase and Lola. Her hand shot up to cover her mouth as she took in Chase's already blackening eye.

Inside, he felt his heart begin to break.

He knew.

He knew who she would choose.

- - - - - -

In horror, Zoey listened as Lola detailed the fight. When she had seen Chase, with the bruise on his eye, she had been shocked. Shocked, actually, wouldn't begin to describe the range of emotions that she had been feeling.

And to think that it was her fault, that she was the catalyst to what had happened, made everything worse.

"I did this," Zoey whispered, eyes on Michael and Chase, who were sitting at a table not far away from the place where the fight had taken place. "I did this."

"Yeah," responded Lola, leaning her arms on the table, sending Zoey a dirty look. "You did. And Chase got hurt."

"So did Logan," Zoey said, absent-mindedly, staring into space.

"Logan deserved it. He always does."

Zoey turned tormented eyes to her friend. "No. No. Neither of them deserved this. I…I…" Her thoughts wandered to Logan, whom she hadn't seen yet. In a whisper, her heart seemed to speak to her. "Logan was…he and I…" The whisper gained volume but she still had to strain the ears of her heart. "The ocean," she whispered.

Confused, Lola wrinkled her nose. "Huh?"

"I hear the ocean!" Zoey exclaimed. Without waiting for Lola to respond, Zoey leaped from the table, finally knowing what to do.

Her heart had told her.

And, now, she would let her heart lead the way.

**A/N: This chapter is why I rated this story T...wasn't sure how graphic the fight scene would get. In my head, I pictured it a little more intense but...it is what is.  
AND this is the second to last chapter. I'm sure it's obvious who Zoey's going to pick. But maybe not...  
AND one more thing - I mentioned at the beginning of this story that I wrote this as an exchange. StoriesThatNeverWere, who makes amazing fanvids, made a Lola/Chase/Zoey video for me, while I wrote this story for her. That video is now posted on YouTube. It's called "The Older I Get". If you get a chance, go check it out. It's pretty darn amazing. I absolutely love it... It's my new favorite video on YouTube.  
AND that's it - oh wait - please review!**


	7. Pulled Under

**Here it is, the last chapter. I hope everyone enjoys the ending, especially StoriesThatNeverWere.  
(It's a short ending...)**

_Chapter Seven: Pulled Under_

Logan cringed as Quinn washed his face with a clean washcloth. "I can do this myself," he snapped, not over the pain of realizing that his short lived fling with Zoey was over.

Pulling back, Quinn surveyed him. He dared to meet the eyes that perused him, hating the pity he saw there. "I'm just trying to help."

Sighing, Logan relented. "Fine." It was nice to have someone who cared, even it was crazy Quinn.

The minutes ticked by as he waited for her to finish, hoping, possibly, that perhaps he had been wrong about Zoey.

A quarter of an hour later, she still had not made an appearance.

Her choice was clear.

Clearing his throat, Logan let his eyes question Quinn. She nodded in response to the question that he hadn't asked. She was finished playing nurse to him.

He was almost to the door, when he stopped, turned at the waist to face her. "Thanks," he said simply.

"You're welcome," was her only response.

Walking down the hall of the girl's dorm, he felt eyes on him, heard whispers about his battered face. He held his head up high and continued to walk, his line of vision directed immediately in front of him as he went out the door, into the sunshine.

Which is why he didn't know she was there, until her soft hand touched his arm.

He knew her touch.

No one's touch felt quite the same as hers.

Slowly, his head rotated until their eyes met.

A small gasp exited her perfect mouth as her eyes traveled his face. Then, her fingers, with that ever familiar and wonderful touch, were grazing his face, delicately passing over each contusion left by Chase's fist.

"Oh, Logan," she said, quietly. Tears brimmed in her eyes, which caused that ache in his heart to grow.

"Quit teasing me," he told her, pulling away. "I know who you chose. Now, let me be."

"You do?"

At the tone in her voice, he swallowed, looking deep into her eyes. When he saw the smile, the hope ignited once more. "I…I…I…" he stammered, sounding, he knew, like an idiot.

She reached up to cup his face with her hand. "My heart spoke to me. It sounded like the waves of the ocean."

"What?" he asked, wondering if the ocean had been a topic of one of their past conversations.

The befuddled look on his face made her laugh. "Nothing. Never mind. Just know that I chose you. I choose you."

If all his wealth had been stripped away, at that moment, he wouldn't have cared. Because she chose him. _She_ chose _him._

"You turn my world upside down Logan," she went on to tell him, eyes full of light. "And I like it. I like you." Her voice decreased in volume so he had to lean forward to hear her last words. "I love you."

When he smiled, it hurt, but he didn't care. Without thinking, which was overrated anyway, he took the last plunge, engaging in another familiar sort of touching.

Logan's arms wrapped around her waist, holding her as close as he possibly could, and Zoey was happy. She didn't know how long she would be happy but, at that moment, it didn't matter.

Her heart had directed her to her ocean, which was breathtaking and dangerous, as her relationship with Logan would most likely be.

But she was ready, willing, to be pulled under, letting the waves, letting Logan, swirl over and around her.

_End_

**A/N: Look for a short sequel that will switch things around a bit...does that make sense? No? Good! Read the sequel!**


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